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Chapter 530: Rolling in the Snow
Chapter 530: Rolling in the Snow
As Kyle and Sirius made their way back to Hogwarts through the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron, they found that Dumbledore and the others were no longer in the Headmaster's office.
Fawkes, perched on his branch, lazily lifted his head to glance at them before tucking it back under his wing.
The portrait of Professor Phineas Nigellus Black made a show of greeting them, but Sirius ignored him, causing the portrait to erupt into a fit of angry ranting.
However, by then, Kyle and Sirius had already left the office and didn't hear a word of it.
As they reached the entrance hall, a group of students locked in a tense standoff caught Sirius' attention, and as a professor, he felt obligated to intervene and resolve the issue.
Kyle nodded in understanding and headed out alone, exiting the grand castle.
The snow that had fallen on the castle grounds remained untouched, creating a pristine white landscape with long trails of footprints leading away from the castle, likely left by the students of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.
Kyle followed the path that led to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
Normally, Hagrid would have kept the area in front of his hut tidy, but now, the snowdrifts were almost obscuring the stone steps, with a messy trail of footprints leading up to the door.
It was clear that visitors had already called upon Hagrid.
"Listen, Hagrid..." Hermione's voice drifted out from within the hut, "...there's no need to be so sensitive about your half-giant heritage. I've always believed that the prejudice against it is no different from the way people treat werewolves...it's just a baseless stigma. The reality isn't as bad as the tabloids make it out to be, is it?"
"Hermione's right, Hagrid," Ron chimed in.
"Don't listen to those Slytherins. Everyone knows you're not violent, and a lot of people like you."
"Don't try to comfort me," Hagrid said, his voice thick with emotion. "Professor Lupin had to leave Hogwarts last year because he's a werewolf, and I reckon it's my turn this year... No one's gonna like me, I know it."
"That's not true!" Harry exclaimed loudly. "We like you, and so does Angelina. She just got into a huge argument with the Slytherins because of the nasty things they said about you, right there in the entrance hall. It happened just now."
Hearing this, Kyle suspected he knew who had been involved in the standoff in the entrance hall.
But with Sirius there, he was sure Angelina hadn't come to any harm.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"It must be Dumbledore," Hagrid said. "He's come to tell me to leave Hogwarts..."
The door opened, revealing a disheveled Hagrid. He appeared to have been crying, his eyes red and puffy, and his hair a tangled mess, resembling a tumbleweed perched atop his head.
"Sorry to disappoint you," Kyle said, "but the Headmaster is currently occupied with Karkaroff and Maxime. He probably doesn't have time to come here."
"Kyle, you..." Hagrid started.
"Can I come in, please? It's freezing out here."
Before Hagrid could respond, Kyle had already squeezed past him into the hut.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, their faces etched with worry, relaxed visibly upon seeing Kyle.
"Kyle, did you come here after reading that article too?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Kyle nodded. "I figured Hagrid might be in trouble, so I thought I'd see if I could help."
"It's all because of that awful Rita Skeeter!" Harry exclaimed. "She's nothing but trouble."
"You know her?" Kyle asked.
"I met her once, after the first task," Harry replied, his tone tinged with annoyance. "She asked me a few questions, which I thought were just casual inquiries. But a few days later, she wrote in the paper that I was bitter about not being chosen as a champion, and she even claimed I called Professor Dumbledore a doddering old fool."
"I know," Kyle shook his head, not taking offense.
"Speaking of which," Hermione asked, "Hagrid, how did that woman find out you're a half-giant?"
"I don't know," Hagrid said, "I haven't told anyone except for Madame Maxime..."
"Madame Maxime?" Ron asked, "Isn't she a half-giant too?"
"I thought so at first, but she flew into a rage and insisted she just has large bones." Hagrid seemed to recall something and covered his face with his hand, letting out a sob.
"She's probably too afraid to admit it," Harry said angrily. "Large bones...who does she think she's fooling?"
"But it's useful, isn't it?" Kyle interjected. "Don't forget that Hagrid's name is the only one mentioned in the newspaper. No one else is implicated."
"Wait, the newspaper?" Hermione asked, "Kyle, do you think Rita Skeeter got this information from last night's event? But Hogwarts doesn't allow outsiders in. Hagrid, did you see her there?"
"I don't remember..." Hagrid said, "...but I don't think so."
"Rita Skeeter is a witch herself," Kyle shrugged. "It would be easy for her to hide her presence."
Everyone fell silent as the truth dawned on them.
Now it made sense why Rita Skeeter was so certain about Hagrid's heritage—because he had told her himself.
"I think I know how she did it," Hermione said after a moment of thought. "She must have used a Disillusionment Charm to hide nearby and eavesdrop."
"Or perhaps an Invisibility Cloak," Ron suggested.
"She could also be an Animagus," Harry added. "Like Pettigrew, she could transform into a small animal, after all, no one pays attention to a rat or a squirrel, right?"
"That's unlikely," Hermione frowned. "I've checked the list of registered Animagi for this century, and Rita Skeeter's name isn't on it."
"Not everyone registers," Harry said. "Remember, P...Peter Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list either."
He had almost said 'Peter Pettigrew', but thinking of Hagrid's situation, he quickly changed his wording.
The three of them eagerly discussed how Rita Skeeter had discovered Hagrid's secret, but Hagrid himself seemed uninterested.
He just sat there, staring blankly at the teapot on the stove, with large puffs of white steam billowing from its spout, and made no move to pour any tea.
"Could I trouble you for a cup of hot tea?" Kyle asked. "Some fellow who's immune to the cold insisted on buying me ice cream earlier. I need something warm to balance it out."
"Oh, right..." Hagrid finally reacted, picking up the teapot and pouring a cup of steaming pine nut tea for Kyle.
Harry glanced at the thick snow outside and shivered involuntarily. "Honestly, even if someone offered me ice cream, I wouldn't eat it in this weather."
Though he enjoyed ice cream, he wouldn't choose to have it in such cold conditions.
"You couldn't say no when it was offered," Kyle said with a shrug. "Some people can roll around in the snow without a care."
Kyle took the tea from Hagrid's hand, "Though I didn't want it either, it would be a waste to just throw it away..."
(End of Chapter)
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